The kids have been busy working with containers of water in the backyard all summer. They fill recycled containers with grass, leaves, berries, chalk or whatever they can find. Then they top up the containers with water. After a few days, we have ketchup bottles, pop cans, and jars filled with a yellowy coloured water. They set up a grocery store, restaurant or department store on a table or in the playhouse and sell this water. Now the kids are 5 & 8 years old and find humor in basic bodily functions. The yellow water was therefore called "pee pee water".
Today the youngest (who is almost 6) came outside with a bucket to present to the eldest. While I should have guessed something was up. She was being coy and avoiding both my husband and me. She even had a mischievous grin on her face. I finally clued in when my son asked if she peed in the bucket. I finished hanging the laundry and asked her to show me the bucket. I sniffed and it was pee. She had come inside the house, peed in a bucket and took it outside!
I was a bit shocked and flabbergasted. I started into a spiel that this wasn't a wise idea. She sheepishly asked if she should dump the contents in the toilet and surprised when I said yes. We washed it out but she asked me not to tell dad. I said I wouldn't tell dad because she was going to talk to him. I found out that he had inquired into what she was doing but had been told it was just water for outside.
We didn't lose our cool but shared a smirk and puzzled look. I tried to focus the conversation on the importance of telling the truth and not peeing in buckets. Aaagh. This was not in any parenting book I have come across.
My daughter...loving, insecure, sneaky, smart and funny. Gotta love her.